Self-draining minnow bucket



y 3, 1955 0. w. HARGETT 2,707,349

SELF-DRAINING MINNOW BUCKET Filed Aug. 25, 1952 I8 g 4 38 oooe/o c 00000 000000 0000 0000 0080 000 0 0 0000 00 0 00 IO 000000 00000 v 000000 00000 000 000 C 00000 00000 000 0 000000 0000 00008 0 00 000 000 0000 00 000 O INVENTOR.

GEORGE w. HARGETT Knox 3. Kiwx AGENTS United States Patent SELF DRAINING MINNOW BUCKET George W. Hargett, San Diego, Calif. Application August 25, 1952, Serial No. 306,129

6 Claims. (Cl. 43--56) The present invention relates generally to a minnow bucket and more particularly to a self draining minnow bucket.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a self draining minnow bucket including a float chamber to prevent the bucket from sinking and to coact with a suspension cord or cable in tilting the bucket in a novel, utilitarian manner.

Another object is to provide a minnow bucket with drain holes on the lid adjacent the side opposite to the attachment of the cable so that water will drain out when the bucket is tilted and lifted by the cable, thus facilitating removal of bait.

Another object of this invention is to provide a self draining minnow bucket which may be securely tethered to the fisherman while in use without impeding the movements of said fisherman.

Another object of this invention is to provide a self draining minnow bucket comprising a self closing lid allowing easy access to the bait therein, the lid having novel mounting means comprising a combination axis member, means to bias the lid into closed position and a guiding loop for the tethering and lifting cable.

Another object of this invention and this disclosure, ancillary to the immediately preceding object, is to teach the best known mode of carrying the invention into actual practice.

Another object of this invention is to provide a self draining minnow bucket which is adapted for fabrication from many different materials, so that the choice of material can be according to the dictates of availability and price considerations, the exact sizes and proportions being matters easily determined to suit particular conditions and needs.

Finally, it is an object to provide a self draining minnow bucket of the aforementioned character which is simple, safe and convenient to operate, and which will give generally efiicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawing which forms a material part of this disclosure and wherein similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawing, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation view of the minnow bucket taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation view of the minnow bucket.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the minnow bucket with the lid'partially open.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of an alternative method of constructing a float chamber.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the minnow bucket comprises a hollow cylindrical body sealed at one end by an end plate 12. The float chamber is 2,707,349 Patented May 3, 19.55

formed by means of a false bottom 14 which is secured by welding or other suitable means to the body 10 thus creating an air pocket 16 which provides buoyancy. The remaining end is closed by a lid 18'containing a plurality of holes 20 which are distributed over a major portion of the lid but another portion of the lid adjacent to one end of the element 22 is imperforate.

The lid is carried by a bi-functional element 22, comprised of a single length of resilient wire bent double with both portions extending diametrically across the body 10 and extending through opposed pairs of apertures 21 in the side wall of the body 10, being retained in position by the opposed reentrant portions 23. The element 22 is disposed on the outer side of the lid 18, passing through two lugs 24 formed integrally with lid 18. The element 22 also serves as a self neutralizing spring to keep the lid closed due to the torsion in the two sections of wire as indicated at 26 in Fig. 3. The minnow bucket is tethered to the fisherman by means of a cord or cable 28 which passes through a staple 30 secured to the body 10 and through a loop 32 in the element 22'disposed exteriorly of the body 10 and aligned with the staple 30. The cord 28 then passes through a ring 34 in a length of chain 36 which is terminally secured to the body 10 at the rim 38 at the edge diametrically opposite to the loop 32. The cord is retained against withdrawal by the intermediate knot 39 and the knot 40 near the end 41 of the cord. It will be noted that the holes 20 are in that portion of the lid adjacent to the point of attachment of the chain 36 to the body It) so that the bucket will tilt so as to drain, or partially drain, quickly when lifted by the cord 28.

Fig. 4 illustrates an alternative method] of constructing a float chamber in which the end plate 12 and the false bottom 14 are replaced by a wood disc 42 secured to body 10 by nails or other suitable means. The element 22 constitutes a combined axis member for the lid, means biasing the lid into closed position, and a guiding loop for the cord 28 and the economy in this construction will be obvious.

The operation of this invention will be better understood from the following description. Upon arriving at the fishing locale, the minnow bucket is attached by means of the cord 28 to the fishermans belt, or some similar portion of his apparel, and is lowered into the water. The sealed end is kept afloat by the buoyancy of the air pocket while the other end sinks below the surface allowing the water to enter through the holes 20 thus filling the bucket to an extent determined by the angle of flotation. A quantity of air will be trapped inside the body of the minnow bucket thus providing an adequate supply of air and water for the live bait deposited therein. To obtain bait, the minnow bucket is lifted from the Water by means of the cord 28 and is automatically tilted and suspended for a moment at an angle, approximately as illustrated in Fig. 3, allowing the water to drain through the holes 20, it being obvious that the rate of flow is dependent on the size and number of holes. The fisherman is now able to select the bait he desires, it now being clearly visible inside the bucket. Upon removal of the hand, the torsion in the hinge returns the lid to a closed position so retaining the remainder of the bait and the bucket is again lowered into the Water. When the fisherman desires to move to another locality, it is necessary to have the bucket filled so that the bait will remain alive. To fill the bucket the other end 41 of the cord is grasped and the bucket is lowered into the water. The bucket will immediately tilt, due to the buoyancy of the air chamber 16 or the wood disc 42, and the bucket will completely fill with water. Then by pulling upward on the end 41 of the cord 28 the filled bucket can be removed from the water. The length of the chain 36 is 3 slightly greater than the radius of the body so that the bucket will remain upright when suspended by the cord 28 as indicated in Fig. 1.

Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawing are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A minnow bucket comprising a hollow cylindrical body having one end open and one end closed, a float at the closed end thereof, a lid in the open end of a diameter very slightly less than the diameter of said open end, a tri-functional element at said open end and constituting an axis member for the lid, a means biasing said lid into closed position and also constituting a cable guide loop, said element being a resilient wire bent double and having portions extending substantially diametrically across said body and having a loop extending exteriorly of said body't'o comprise said cable guide, the diametrically extending portions being spaced apart slightly, said lid being mounted on said diametrically extending portions for oscillatory movement and the lid being biased thereby into closed position, and a cable slidably connected to said body and extending through said cable guide loop.

2. A minnow bucket comprising a hollow cylindrical body having one end open and one end closed, a float at the closed end, a lid in the open end of a diameter very slightly less than the diameter of said open end, a tri-functional element at said open end constituting an axis member for the lid, a means biasing said lid into closed position and also constituting a cable guide loop, said element being a resilient wire bent double and having portions extending substantially diametrically across said body and having a loop extending exteriorly of said body to comprise said cable guide, the diametrically extending portions being spaced apart slightly, said lid being mounted on said diametrically extending portions for oscillatory movement and the lid being biased thereby into closed position, and a cable extending through said cable guide loop, a second cable guide instrumentality on said body adjacent to said closed end and aligned with said cable guide loop, said cable also extending through said second cable guide instrumentality.

3. A bucket according to claim 2 and wherein said lid is perforate in that portion thereof remote from said cable guide loop.

4. A minnow bucket comprising a hollow cylindrical body having one end open and one end closed, a float at the closed end thereof, a lid in the open end of a diameter very slightly less than the diameter of said open end, a tri-functional element at said open end and constituting an axis member for the lid, a means biasing said lid into closed position and also constituting a cable guide loop, said element being a resilient wire bent double and having portions extending substantially diametrically across said body and having a loop extending exteriorly of said body to comprise said cable guide, the diametrically extending portions being spaced apart slightly, said lid being mounted on said diametrically extending portions for oscillatory movement and the lid being biased thereby into closed position, and a cable extending through said cable guide loop, a second cable guide instrumentality on said body adjacent to said closed end and aligned with said cable guide loop, said cable also extending through said second cable guide instrumentality, said cable comprising two parts, the first part being secured at one end to said body at a point substantially diametrically opposite to said cable guide loop and having a slip connection with the second part of the cable, means limiting the relative or slip movement of the two parts, and other means limiting the shifting of the second part in the direction of the first part.

5. A bucket according to claim 4 and wherein said second part is a cord, said means being knots in said cord, said slip connection being a ring smaller than the corresponding knot, and said second cable guide instrumentality being smaller than the other knot.

6. In a minnow bucket, a hollow cylindrical body having one end open and one end closed, a lid in the open end of a diameter very slightly less than the diameter of the open end and a bi-functional element constituting an axis member for the lid and also constituting means biasing said lid into closed position, said element being a resilient wire bent double and having portions. extending substantially diametrically across said body and spaced References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Weightman Dec. 28, 1886 Green et al. Oct. 21, 1941 

